Rohtak: A Rohtak court, which is hearing a petition against the Baba Ramdev for his controversial ‘beheading’ remark, on Wednesday issued non-bailable warrants against the yoga guru. The court had earlier issued bailable warrants to Ramdev to appear before it, but he failed to show up.

Ramdev was summoned under sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC for his remark that he made during the Sadhbhawna Sammelan in April 2016 here.

He had said that he could “behead lakhs of people for refusing to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ if he weren’t bound by the law of land.” The controversial remarks were made when he was addressing a gathering in Rohtak meant to bring the communities in Haryana together as the violence that erupted during the Jat agitation for reservation had created a rift.

The comment from Ramdev, who was appointed as a brand ambassador of Haryana by the BJP government, had drawn flak especially as they were made an event in Rohtak to promote peace in the district. After the remark, former Haryana home minister and senior Congress leader Subhash Batra had lodged a complaint with the police. Batra moved court after the police did not register a case.

The court of additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) Harish Goyal on Wednesday set August 3 as the next date of hearing after issuing the non-bailable warrants.

Talking to TOI, Batra said all were equal before the law no matter how mighty the person was. He said he hoped that Ramdev would respect the court’s order and remain present during the next hearing.